The 2026 taiga drama "Toyotomi Brothers!" (NHK General TV, Sunday 8pm and other times), starring Nakano Taiga, began airing on January 4th. Actor Shiraishi Sei plays Nao, a childhood friend of the protagonist Koichiro (Nakano). This is his first appearance in a taiga drama. Shiraishi revealed, "I hope Nao will become an unforgettable presence for both Koichiro and the viewers," and spoke about his impressions of the drama and his role, as well as what surprised him.
◇ Acting in a way that conveys Nao's character clearly through his eyes
"Toyotomi Brothers!" is a success story of hope and dreams, depicting the miracle of the Toyotomi brothers, Hidenaga Toyotomi (Koichiro) and his older brother Hideyoshi (Tōkichirō), who achieve the great feat of unifying the country with their strong bond. Tōkichirō, Koichiro's older brother by three years, is played by Sosuke Ikematsu.
Shiraishi plays Nao, the daughter of a local lord in Nakamura, Owari, the hometown of Koichiro and Tōkichirō. She is the same age as Koichiro and is his childhood friend. She has a tomboyish personality, but secretly adores him... she is an original character for the drama.
Nao is also a "tragic heroine" who is at the mercy of turbulent times, but what impression did Shiraishi have of her?
"She's a wonderful woman with a strong core and a very strong personality. There's a scene where Nao supports Koichiro when his feelings start to waver, and it really shows the relationship between them, and I felt like I was really playing Nao."
Although he feels that "Nao is stronger and more reliable" than himself, he also reveals that "I guess one thing we have in common is that we can say no to things we don't like."
"The director told me that rather than trying to create a role for Nao, he wanted me to use my natural self, or the parts of myself that would bring out the best in me. I don't think of myself as tomboyish like Nao, but I think there are some similarities in the obvious ways."
Shiraishi said that there were many things to be conscious of when acting, including her mannerisms.
"I don't have much experience in period dramas, so I was a little nervous, but I was given time to receive instruction on my manners before I started recording. Nao has very clear willpower, so I wanted to act in a way that conveys that clearly through my eyes."
◇The atmosphere on set was friendly and I was amazed by the latest studio technology.
This was his third time acting alongside Nakano, who plays Koichiro.
"This was my third time acting with Taiga-san, so I thought it was great that we were able to communicate so easily when creating the role of a childhood friend. In one scene, Taiga-san's acting, in which he explodes with emotion during the performance, was truly wonderful. I wanted to emulate that, so I learned a lot from him teaching me how he makes adjustments."
The atmosphere on set, led by Nakano as the chairman, is "harmonious," according to Shiraishi.
"Taiga-san is a very reliable leader. I felt that he was very concerned about those around him on set, and above all, his relationship with Ikematsu-san is wonderful. You can really feel how close they are, so I think that the constant smiles between the two of them is one of the reasons for the good atmosphere overall."
Shiraishi, who is appearing in a taiga drama for the first time, said, "One of the things that surprised me on the set was the VP (Virtual Production) studio." VP is a technology that displays images and CG on an LED wall installed in the studio, and in last year's broadcast of "UNBOUND- Tsutaju Eika no Yumebanashi", it was used to recreate the main street of Yoshiwara, which is 250 meters deep.
"It was my first time seeing it, so it felt like an open set, and I was really surprised, like, 'It's indoors, but it's outdoors!'"
We asked Shiraishi, who exudes such freshness, about the appeal of the script written by Yatsushi Hiroyuki. As a manga and anime fan, he said he felt "a sense of speed like a shonen manga."
"The way the story is told from Hidenaga's point of view is something new and I think that's one of the interesting aspects of 'Toyotomi Brothers!'. Even someone like me, who isn't particularly knowledgeable about history, could enjoy the script. I also thought that the comical portrayal of the famous scene in which 'Hideyoshi warms Nobunaga's straw sandals' was very typical of Yatsu. There were so many scenes that made me chuckle while reading, and it felt like a fast-paced manga for boys. It's set in the Warring States period, so people die, but the characters are really drawn in a fascinating way, so I think it's a work that you'll enjoy watching."
